The Everest climbing team, which included 22 Tibetans, eight Han Chinese and one man from the Tujia minority, had been on the mountain for more than a week preparing the route along the north-east ridge.

"All the ethnicities of the Tibet Autonomous Region are very proud," said Wu Yingjie, executive vice chairman of the region. "The Tibetan ethnicity in particular has made great devotions to the big event."

The women among the team included 39-year-old Ji Ji, who trudged the first leg of the mini-torch relay. Ji's husband, Rena, was killed when a rockslide hit his car on the way to climb the 8,080-metre Gasherbrum 1 peak in Pakistan in 2005.

The flame that crested Everest's peak was taken from the main Olympic torch when it arrived in Beijing in March.